Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-17
A REGISTERED LETTER.

A REGISTERED LETTER.
There's Registered letter for Katy
Mulvaneyr
The letter-calIier shouted it on the
steps of Brady's big tenement, near
Tompkins Square. The tenants of the
house caught UP the cry and passed it
up toward the roof The children in
the street echoed it:
katy Mulvaneyr
There was nearly million children
on the block, at a rough under-esti-
mate, and from among them came sax
Katy Mulyaneys, three of them with
younger Mulvaneys in their arms
But the postman waved them away,
Not one of them was old enough for a
registered letter
Mrs. Mulvaney dwelt on the top
floor; but at the moment she was in
the basement getting water for the
weeks wash. Thence she emerged,
wiping her rosy arms, nodded and
tinted like twin Westphalia hams, on
her broad apron.
"Fwat's to the fore?'' she inquired,
as she caught the reverberations of her
daughters name.
There's a registered letter for Katy
Mulvaney," said the good-natured car
rier.
s.Fwat's thatP" asked Mrs. Null
vaney.
"A registered letter." repeated the
carrier, YEARLY.
I IT'S ofiishle it bees, Mrs. Mulva-
ney,' volunteered Mr. Mcguire, the
superannuatcd licensed vender, who
was smoking his clay pipe in the hall
way; . lis the govermint, an the iu-
disheary, an the police, an the dis
pensary offishles as SENS them things;
sure, had wan wanst, whin | forgot
to pay me liceuse"
20, militia murthur!' walled Mrs.
Mulvaney, with startling suddenness;
''an fwat have / done to have disgrace
t'rown upon me, an me the mother of
eleven?" Her apron went over her
head, by way of sackcloth, and her
choked lamentations came from under
it: 20, Katy, the mother I've been to
We, an We to bring shame on the name
of Mulvaney! Sure, no wan would
never have thought it. ne'er a time!
IT'S all along o thin picnics, an the
foreign Dutchmin from Italy infestin
the ward, SO it is! Fwat have We
done-fwat have We done! An ne'er
Mulvaney was liver in coort, forbye
tn ould mon, and him only whin he
clared out the saloon on the Square,
which twas bilin' he was, an of a
New-Year's, like gintleman should,
and the boss came down himself an
bailed him out, and give security! An
a daughter Of mine to be brought to
the likes Of this-a register letther--
0, Mary, save us!'
BY this time there was crowd of
synpathizing women about Mrs. Null
vaney, trying to console her in seven
teen different brogues. Mrs. McGarra-
han, who was triile under 100 years
old, and who keened at all the old
time wakes in the ward, took the
lead.
"Sure she do not oondcrstand it.,
dear soul. she do not. IT'S ain ahner
the governiint docs ye, dear, 'Tis no
suppeny- It's a diplomy, more like.
Cheer up. there's darlint! Sure, "
she explained to the postman, .Katy's
the good girl, so she is, an tbs into
the faet'ry in Broome street she works,
an brings home her wages regular,
,,;.-a,. tl,a x,-,,,,1 sail a rr;,, ~. hon.
rim the young min is ahl afther her,
an proud her mother should be of
that same, for she ben' d dacint''
Say, interrupted the carrier, who 5
going to sign for that letter? can't
wait here all day, Here's the receipt,
Now, Mrs, Mulyaney. you sign this.
Got pen snk ink9''
'4foald!' iAtcrjected Mr.. Mcguire;
I've got 4 pinsle. ALWAYS carry a
pinsle. lis the way of mon of bust
ess.
Pencil won't do. said the carrier;
s'the rules Of the office say this has "a
be signed in ink.
AN fwarc will ] get the ink?" de.
manded Mrs Mulyaney, drying the
unnecessary tears from her eyes with
her apron rolled oyer her arm. .Mul.
vaney's no poet, wild an inkstaud un-
der his arm. -
Dunno" said the postman; ,hasn't
one of these ladies' got bottle OF
inkP'
"SoiTa 4 bottle of ink in the house,
said Mr. Mcguire solemnly, gazing out
upon the audience Of children in the
street. -sbarrin my own
We'll. fetch that then"--the post
man was growing impatient.
Il had il whin had me business. in
siventy-eight, said Mr.. Mcguire, viii
undiminishcd solemuity; San l sold il
ont wild me chattels the mortgage wa.
on.
The postman glared at Mr.. Mcguire
for half minute,
But l KEEP me pinsle.N Mr.. Maguir,
added, as he drew hard on his pipe ant
| leaned against the wall and looked baeR
into the glorious past.
Pencil won't do" said the carrier
"now you've got 20 rustic around ant
get some ink can't stay here III
day. and It ink or no letter. An,
he leaned up against the wall opposit,
mr.. Mcguire aud looked determined
The crowd of sympathizers RESOLVED
itself into Committee of Ways anC
Means, and Mesdames Finnegan anC
O'Toole were made a sub-committe,
with power TO borrow the needfu
fluid They set out hraveiy; but then
quest was in vain. The German tailor
over the way declined to lend his ink
on the ground that the amount of tn,
Irish trade which came his way wa;
not commensurate with the aecommo
dalton demanded. The Hungarian
proprietor of the next-door beer sa
loon looked upon the request for tn,
loan Of his inkstand as an incendiary
deliverance. covering deep conspira
CIV against himself and his property,
and he retreated into his back room,
4 .,,,.-..,. U,,